From New Guinea to New Jersey

How rare is the rarest dog on earth?  Apparently there are just 200 New Guinea Singing Dogs in the world, most of of which are in captivity.  Two of these very special dogs, Lexie and Marley, were living in Illinois, but have since been moved to a shared habitat at the Cohanzick Zoo in Vineland New Jersey.

These dogs are so special because they have unique genetic differences, which means they evolved separately from all other dogs in the world.  They also have a very special howl--which earns them them the appropriate name.  Some still do exist in the wild in New Guinea, but the folks at the Cohanzick Zoo are not leaving the survival of this rare breed up to nature.

Read more about the Cohanzick Zoo program here.  If you are interested in learning more about this breed, also check out this 4 minute Animal Planet's Dogs 101 video on the New Guinea Singing dog--where you can see Lexie and Marley in action, hear the singing, and even see a few in the wild.